


Iron Will

by WindMeister8



Series: Iron Will [2]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Politics, Discrimination, Escape, F/M, Politics, Race, Segregation, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-26
Updated: 2016-09-26
Packaged: 2018-08-17 09:53:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8139739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WindMeister8/pseuds/WindMeister8
Summary: As racial relations break down in the country of Ansia, you start an organization with Hanji to transport and relocate the fleeing Renkers. When your assignment is to smuggle a certain hardened milita member along with his frail daughter out of the country, you find that you have more on your hands to deal with.





	

**Author's Note:**

> **(AU Note: For maximum effect, listen to[this](http://www.yourepeat.com/watch/?v=JH_gXgr5esI&start_at=140&end_at=263))**

_“….public whipping of a Renker worker for insubordination…”_

**Thwick.**

_“…so I told him, if you don’t study hard, you’ll end up in the same place as the Renkers!”_

**Thwick.**

You slammed the radio button hard, cutting off the putrid voices leaking out from the stereo speaker. Any longer and you swore you would have gone mad. Looking at your watch, you rejoiced that this trip was almost over. Your eyes were getting droopy, however, and without the presence of some form of sound, you focused your attention on the scenery passing you by. The road was pretty straight and empty, so you had no problems letting your eyes drift to the left and right sides of the highway.

On your left were tall sprawling buildings, their exterior decorated with a fresh coat of glistening paint. The buildings were laid out neatly in a grid pattern with gardens surrounding each of them. Rows and rows of beautiful flowers reached up to the sky, trying to claim their portion of the sun, only to be stopped by a large metal fence that separated the area from the road. The fence stretched on into the distance, enclosing the entire community of people living within those elegant skyscrapers. A huge sign hugged the top of the fence, the only two words on it repeated for its entire length across the enclosure – “Ansins only”.

Inside the gated compound, you could see children playing happily in the gardens, their parents watching from a distance as they chatted among themselves. One small girl approached the fence as your car passed by and even before her tiny fingers reached out to touch the barrier, her parents shouted for her to come back. 

As you zoomed past, you could see her facing the parents’ angry tirade and even without closely reading their lips, you knew they were chastising her for going near a Renker’s car. It was disheartening and yet such a familiar scene to you. After all, your own friend’s parents had said the same thing in front of you and even had the guts to say that the Renkers were devils that would spirit little kids away.

Feeling the customary tensing of your muscles in your body, you switched your sight over to the right side of the highway. You refused to let your anger take control of you during such an important mission. There would be another time, perhaps over drinks with Hanji, to discuss this issue. 

The sight that greeted you on the right though pulled you right back into the controversial situation. Lines upon lines of rundown barracks filled your vision, the grey buildings all equally uninviting and depressing in stark contrast with the territory that occupied the other half of the highway. Surrounding them were fields filled with different variety of crops that sustained their community and provided for the Ansins – free of charge of course. With the setting of the evening sun, you saw the Renker workers – from the elderly to the young children – scrambling to gather the remaining harvest.  

It didn’t require much imagination for you to envision your future and that of your next generations as sharing the same fate as those workers. That wasn’t the life that you wanted and so you had left Ansia, together with your fiancée Erwin almost ten years back. You loved living in a foreign country devoid of the racial discrimination that you faced back in Ansia but your hatred for your motherland was not shared by Erwin, who strived for change. That difference in attitude was what drove the two of you apart, until eventually Erwin returned to Ansia with a heavy heart. He and his new-found love, Hanji, worked hard to bring changes to Ansia and although they nearly succeeded, he was killed by Ansins who were angry with their opposition.

His death dealt you a huge blow and his final letter to you ignited your spirit to achieve his goal. Working together with Hanji who slowly became your kindred spirit, the both of you helped the opposition party in winning over the country. The day of the election results had been the happiest you had been in years but it was not to last.

With the abolishment of the quota system, the ethnic majority Ansins were no longer sheltered by the government. Steadily, they lost ground in various areas from education to finance, their positions taken up by the minority Renkers. Resentment coupled with years and years of entrenched dogma reinforced the notion that the Renkers were stealing their place and overthrowing their supposed rightful claim to their country. Fueled by the indignant cries of the Ansins, the different factions of the new governing party were now at odds with each other, leading to internal strife.

The initial vision for an Ansia undivided was slowly eroding. You watched in horror as the government began re-enacting portions of the policy that gave the Ansins preferential treatment over the Renkers, reestablishing the social and economic divide between the two races. With your hard work all coming undone, things took a turn for the worse as the Renkers became enraged at the government for not keeping their words. After many unsuccessful appeals by the Renker faction of the government, the Ansin faction finally booted them out of the party. With only the Ansin faction ruling the country, new policies and rules were added to further segregate the two races. 

Knowing that there was no longer anything you could do, you and Hanji moved to a neighboring country and set up base. The two of you started an organization to deal with the tens of thousands of Renkers that were leaving Ansia, relocating them to other countries and helping them settle down. 

However, the situation deteriorated even faster when the government set up designated housing for the Renkers not unlike those you saw on the highway now. The divide between the Renkers and Ansins only grew and the initial distaste that the Ansins had for the Renkers manifested into extreme hatred and xenophobia. Instead of wanting to expel the Renkers out of the country, the Ansins turned to imprisoning them within the confines of Ansia for their exploitation.

The large flow of Renkers leaving the country now slowed down to a mere trickle. Your organization adapted itself to the change easily by refocusing the efforts on illegally smuggling Renkers out, either by sea or by land. The journey by any of the two routes was long and tenuous, requiring incredible physical and emotional strength. There was, however, another way out of Ansia and these were the rare cases you took on due to your mixed heritage. Being a quarter-Ansin, you could pass yourself off as one of them with a little effort and coaxing. Your fake papers identified you as a personal escort – a private driver for rich Ansins who wanted to tour the neighboring countries. But the problem lay in establishing fake identities for your targets, most of whom would not as easily pass for an Ansin. 

Thankfully your target on this mission had a spouse who was an Ansin, which reduced some of the work that your organization had to do. You looked over at the papers spread out on the passenger seat, all forged intricately with huge attention to details. It was hard to tell the difference between these and the original papers and you hoped it would be enough to fool the immigration officer later.

Seeing a small signboard with the words of your destination scribbled haphazardly on it, you pulled to a slow crawl and turned in. The four-wheel drive rocked to and fro as it navigated the uneven road and you gritted your teeth as your body bounced in tandem with each pithole. It was getting dark but the dim lights from the houses in the distance illuminated your way forward. You could see three rows of two-storey houses, all of them old but relatively well-maintained – an indication that its occupants were of a higher status. Each house hung a large steel leaf symbol prominently from the rooftop as mandated by the government, a sign that no matter how well-respected or rich you were, the fact that Renker blood ran in your veins determined your status in this country.

You scanned your surroundings as you slowed to a stop. Your target was supposed to meet you somewhere along the road, away from the housing estate to avoid suspicion from the neighbors. But the enveloping darkness prevented you from seeing anything outside the spherical area cast by the lights ahead. 

Cutting off the engine, you stepped out of the car and shut the door. You cupped your hands to your mouth as you softly imitated the hoot of an owl three times. As the last hoot faded into the night air, you waited for a few seconds before you saw a shadow moving towards you. 

“When the cat is out to play..”

You recognized the target’s agreed upon challenge and instantly replied, “The mice all run away.”

Satisfied with your answer, the target finally stepped out into the light revealing a rather short man with a hard, chiseled face. A small girl around the age of 11 followed closely behind, her fierce green eyes staring back at you with suspicion. You recognized them immediately, having carefully studied their photographs on the false papers.

You nodded to the man and held your hand out. “Levi, I’m (F/N) from the Survey Corps.”

His handshake was firm and his response brief. “Nice meeting you.”

Gesturing to the car, you asked them to get in before anyone found out about this unexpected visit. Levi took the front seat beside you while the young red-haired girl climbed into the back. Once your targets were safely on board, you smoothly reversed out of the side road and re-entered the highway. 

“These are false documents for you and your daughter,” you said as you pointed to the papers seated on the dashboard. 

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Levi reach for the papers and leaf through them, his intense grey eyes going through the details as you spoke.

You continued, “The story will be that I’m your personal driver and the both of you will be going over to Skarin for a short trip to see your wife who’s working there.”

“So I’m guessing Isabel and I need to get used to our new names as well as my late wife’s, right?” he asked, flicking through the papers.

Chuckling, you looked at him. “Typically, we don’t expect the officers to ask many questions. It’s fine if you don’t respond to your new name that fast. But if it turns out that he does, then I hope you don’t mind your new name _Oluo_!”

Expecting a laugh from him at the ridiculous childish name that Hanji had accidentally picked out, you were disappointed when he didn’t even crack a smile. His scowl and stern expression seemed practically plastered to his face. Mentally shrugging to yourself, you assumed that it was just his nerves that were getting to him.

At the back of the car, Isabel leaned forward, holding Levi’s seat as she looked at the papers too. “Is that Mummy’s new name?” she asked, excitement clear in her voice.

“Yes, Isabel,” Levi replied monotonically as he held one of the papers up for her to see.

Isabel’s eyes sparkled as she took the paper from Levi, her fingers tracing down the photograph of her mother. You watched her through the rear mirror, a sad smile ghosting across your face as you imagined how close she had been to her deceased mother. The young girl was dealing with the loss remarkably well and you admired her tenacity at such a young age, a trait obviously passed down from her parents.

“Can I keep this after we reach Skarin, (F/N)?” she asked, her eyes imploring you to accede to her request.

You hesitated. It was against policy to retain any falsified documents since they were evidence of the organization’s illegal trade. But the young girl’s pleading voice struck a resonant chord in your heart and you found yourself agreeing.

“Sure, Isabel. Just don’t let anyone else see it, okay?” you replied jovially.

The smile on Isabel’s face grew wider at your reply and she squealed her thanks in appreciation. But a sharp voice cut through her jubilant celebration.

“You can’t, Isabel. It’s too dangerous. Now give it back to me.”

Sneaking a look through the rear mirror, you saw Isabel’s crestfallen expression and although you barely knew the girl, you could feel her pain acutely. So you tried downplaying the risk associated with keeping the papers to hopefully ease Levi’s mind.

“It’s alright, Levi. Nothing much can happen and besides, I’m sure Isabel can keep it safe,” you said calmly.

“This is none of your business. So just shut up and drive,” Levi snapped before turning to Isabel, his hand outreached. “Give it to me, Isabel.”

Taken aback by his rude retort, you stared at him indignantly. You were absolutely bursting to give him a tongue-lashing but no words came to mind. The fact that you knew he was right on both accounts irritated you to no end. Biting back your tongue, you focused on the straight road ahead of you.

From the rear mirror, you saw the girl reluctantly handing the paper back to him before curling up in a ball on the back seat. Her soft sobs further stoked your anger for the man seated beside you and it took every ounce of your self-control to restrain from killing him right then. Instead, you imagined the steering wheel you were clenching tightly as his neck. The thought was actually pretty soothing and you managed to last the next few hours without committing murder.

Almost ninety percent through the journey though, you had to stop for a toilet break. Muttering a curt “Gotta pee” to Levi, you got out of the car without so much as a glance at him. A couple of seconds later, you felt much more relieved as you walked the short distance back. From a distance, you could see Levi standing outside, the back door open as he covered Isabel with a thin blanket salvaged from the trunk. The girl had cried herself to sleep earlier after the fight and no matter how much you wanted to comfort her, there was little you could do.

Watching Levi’s little act of kindness after what he did only infuriated you more, causing something in you to just snap. As you walked towards him, you put up a calm front.

“She’s still sleeping?” you asked.

“Yeah,” he replied with his back to you. “It’s only one more hour to the customs right?”

“One hour or so, yes.”

He turned towards you as he shut the door silently. “Thank God. I’m glad we had this option of leaving the country.”

“Well…” you dragged out the word as you leaned against the bonnet of the car. “This option was meant for people who weren’t physically fit for the other two routes. _Only_ those who were unfit could take this way out since it’s infinitely more risky. But from what I see, Isabel isn’t exactly what you call frail, is she?”

He lifted his eyebrows, folding his arms across his chest. “What are you saying?”

“Nothing really,” you said nonchalantly. “Just that it seems to me that you’re taking the easy way out. In terms of leaving the country… and with Isabel.”

You looked up, straight into a pair of stormy eyes that threatened to drown you mercilessly in it. His gaze was intense and unnerving but you had faced worse with a set of ocean blue eyes. Maintaining your careless expression, you waited for him to retaliate.

He spoke quietly, “It’s really none of your business but I’ll have you know that Isabel is asthmatic. She wouldn’t have lasted even a quarter of the journey. Besides, shouldn’t you be more level-headed? Knowing that this job is risky, you still let your judgement be swayed by a small girl. Tch, and I thought that the Survey Corps would hire someone more reliable.”

Your wire-thin patience finally wore out and you pushed yourself off the car, leaving you merely inches away from the stoic face in front of you.

“Look, who do you think you are to tell me what’s dangerous and what’s not?” you bellowed, poking an accusing finger at his chest. “This is my job, so stay out of it! Why don’t you stick to your own job and be a good father to Isabel by protecting her?!”

His expression remained the same but you could see a flash of red across his eyes. He snarled, “I am protecting her! I’m protecting her from being discriminated by people, I’m protecting her from being denied a proper job and prospects, I’m protecting her from being hurt!”

“Oh really?” you snorted. “After what happened in the car, you think she’s not hurt?! You know what… I think you’re an insensitive selfish bastard who’s just full of himself. Maybe that’s why your wife couldn’t stand you either and left this world.”

Half expecting him to lay a hand on you, you were in for a shock when his face fell and he looked away. 

“You’re right. It was my fault.”

His eyes were distant and removed, as if his soul had just left this world. When he next spoke, his voice was soft and almost on the verge of breaking.

“I lost her because of my stupidity. I thought too highly of my own powers that I fed myself an illusion of my country’s army needing me. Even with all that was happening between the Renkers and Ansins, I thought my family would be protected because… Ansia needed me. But when my wife lay dying on a hospital bed… my fellow countrymen just… did nothing.”

His eyes flickered towards the sleeping Isabel. “That’s why I can’t make the same mistake again. Not when she’s all I have left…”

You stood there, stunned at his outpour of emotions. The harsh words you had thrown at him were intended to make him feel guilty but you had never expected him to break down like this. His hard cold façade had simply melted away, exposing his vulnerability and pain. And although you still did not approve of what he had done, you felt that you could at least relate to what he had gone through.

“I-I’m sorry,” you stuttered awkwardly. “I- I didn’t know… But I can understand how you feel.”

There was no response from Levi as he continued to look at his daughter. Like you, he had probably heard this being said a million times.

You took a deep breath. “Ansia took away someone important to me too.”

Levi finally tore his gaze away and looked at you. “Is that why you’re doing this?”

“Yeah. It’s… my way of making amends to him.”

Levi nodded. He seemed to be mulling over something, so you waited patiently for him to form his next question.

“Do you think of him?”

“Every single moment,” you answered. “People keep telling me it’s time to move on but… I never want to forget him.”

“But doesn’t it hurt more when you realize your memories are getting vaguer and vaguer every day?”

His words hit you like a ton of bricks. Like him, you were still in a state of denial although your way of coping was different. Knowing that you were slowly losing the ability to recall Erwin’s laughter or his touch, you constantly thought about him, believing that you could keep him close in spirit. You were desperately clasping at wisps of memories because you feared losing Erwin forever. But it was the exact opposite with Levi who strongly reinforced the idea that his wife was gone, hoping that the pain would be lessened. Finally understanding where he was coming from, you tried your best to explain your feelings. 

“It hurts.. it really does. But when I recall something about him… no matter how minute it is, it reminds me that he was there. And that he will always be here-“ You thumped your chest. “In my heart.”

Levi studied you intently for a few more seconds before a thin smile broke out. “Tch, that was pretty cheesy shit.”

“Wha-“

“But thank you (F/N) and I owe you an apology. I’m sorry-“

You chuckled and held up a hand, stopping him mid-sentence. “It’s fine, Levi. I said equally horrible stuff too. So we’re even.”

“Now..” You clapped your hands together. “Let me do a proper job and get you guys out of here.”

 

Two hours later, you cheerfully pointed out the customs building in the distance to Levi and Isabel. It was the last leg of the journey and you were thankful nothing had happened so far. Getting through immigration customs shouldn’t be too hard but it was still risky.

“So this is just a reminder,” you announced. “I will do most of the talking, Levi will answer their routine questions and Isabel, just remain quiet, okay?”

Your two passengers nodded solemnly, both of them aware of the high stakes that were riding on the next ten minutes. There was no point asking them to relax, so you didn’t bother. Concentrating on your own task, you pulled up to the large grey building. There wasn’t much traffic since it was approaching sunrise, so you maneuvered your car straight to the officer’s booth. 

You rolled down your window and called out in the Ansin’s native language, “Parlen, schur!”

The officer was a tall, lanky man whose brown sleepy eyes regarded you indifferently. He grunted back in response and gestured for your papers. You passed the false documents through the slot in the window, discreetly observing the surroundings as you did. There was nothing amiss but you liked to familiarize yourself with the possible escape routes in case anything happened. Having passed through here a couple times before, you searched for the three different courses you could take.

Unfortunately, the gaping hole in the fence was closed and the old walls that bordered the south of the building seemed to be newly reinforced with concrete. That left the second exit used for staff located in the east. Much fewer choices than you were comfortable with but there wasn’t anything you could do about it.

Turning your attention back to the officer, you saw that he had almost finished scanning all the documents. As he shoved the last piece of paper through the machine, there was a small beep. Your heart skipped a beat. This hadn’t happened before.

“All occupants out of the car,” he ordered gruffly.

“Wait why?” you asked as you removed your seatbelt and got out, gesturing to Levi to stay in.

The officer exited his booth and approached your car. “Just a random check. It happens all the time. Now ask the other two to come out.”

Pretending to be annoyed, you sighed and crossed your arms over your chest. You bent down and told Levi to come out together with Isabel. Once the three of you were out of the car, the officer led all of you inside the customs building and down several hallways. Along the way, you passed by several rooms, most of them empty. The rooms that had people were bustling with activity and as you walked past, nobody even looked your way.

Ahead, the officer swiped his card once at a door and ushered the three of you into a long corridor. There were five doors on each side, all marked with a label “Interview room”. Guarding the door were another two men dressed in military uniform who raised their hands to their foreheads in a salute. The officer nodded curtly at them and beckoned all of you into the first room on the right. 

As you entered, another two soldiers sitting in the room got up hastily and saluted. The room itself was bare except for a long bench against the wall. Another door in the far corner opened up to where presumably the interview would take place. 

The officer motioned to take a seat on the bench. “Sit here and wait for your turn. I’ll start with the youngest first.”

Isabel’s eyes widened in fear and she made to run, but Levi’s grip on her hand prevented her from fleeing.

“I’ll go with her,” Levi said.

The officer shook his head. “Only one person at a time.”

“But I’m her guardian,” Levi emphasized as he squeezed Isabel’s shoulders protectively.

“Rules are rules.”

From the corner of your eye, you noticed the soldiers’ hands on their weapons, ready to use them in case of any resistance. Outnumbered and outgunned, there was no way you could fight back. You placed a hand on Levi’s shoulder, feeling the tension in his muscles.

“Hey, nothing’s gonna happen. Just listen to him,” you said casually. Your eyes told a different story as you shifted your gaze slightly to the soldiers in the back.

Understanding your expression, Levi gritted his teeth and nodded bitterly. He bent down in front of Isabel and stroked her hair.

“It’s all going to be fine, Isabel. I’ll be right out here.”

The red-haired girl gave a hesitant nod and hugged Levi before heading into the interview room with the officer. After seeing her disappear behind the door, the two of you took a seat on the bench as far away from the soldiers as you could. The silence was nerve-wracking and it only added to the anxiety that both of you felt. You prayed that it was merely a routine check but as the minutes ticked by, your doubts only grew. In your mind, you went through everything that had happened but you couldn’t pinpoint what could have gone wrong.

A small crackle from the walkie-talkie diverted your attention to the two guards. They spoke quietly into the device, their gaze falling onto the two of you. Something was wrong. You glanced at Levi who was also observing their actions. When your gaze met, you crossed your middle finger over your index – the sign of resistance for Renkers. He understood immediately, giving a slight nod.

As the two guards walked towards you, you waited tensely at the edge of your seat. This was the first time your mission was going wrong but you had been trained for this eventuality. You just needed to remain calm and keep your wits with you. Breathe.

“You’re both required to go through another check. Please follow us,” the taller guard said.

Levi stood up, his hands balled into fists at his side. “How about my daughter?”

“She’s fine. You’ll see her after the check. Now please come.”

Levi looked your way. You gave a slight tilt of your head and got up. His shoulders slumped in response and he took a step forward, just inches away from the guards. In a flash of a second, he lashed out with his leg, jabbing the guards’ knees in quick succession before landing a quick chop around their eardrum.

The result was instantaneous, leaving the guards crumpled on the floor. You knew Levi used to be in the militia but the way in which he quickly dispatched the two men was incredible. You didn’t even have to lift a finger to help. Meanwhile, you rid the guards of their weapons while Levi rushed to the other door and kicked it open.

Slinging the gun over your shoulder, you called out, “Levi, we need to move quick!”

Levi reappeared from the room, his face ashen. “She’s… not there.”

“Wha- what do you mean?”

“There’s…” He pointed to the room. “..nobody.”

You rushed towards him and looked inside, your eyes widening as your saw an empty room with four white walls. 

“That’s impossible…” you gasped in horror.

In your confusion, you never noticed the security camera tucked away in the corner. Within a matter of seconds, a siren blared and red strobing lights illuminated the room. A voice sounded from the loudspeakers announcing both your names.

“(F/N) (L/N) and Levi Ackerman. We have you surrounded by a team of soldiers who have orders to shoot you if you resist. Please surrender immediately.”

“No no no…. NO!” you screamed, letting loose a barrage of bullets into the empty room. Seeing that the bullets had no effect, you directed your aim to the outside, shooting at anything and everything.

“Stop it, (F/N)!” 

Levi yanked the gun away from you, throwing it to the floor. You whipped around to face him, ready to fight if that’s what he wanted. But he took you by the shoulders and shook hard. 

“Get your shit together! We don’t have time for this! The only thing we can do now is surrender, alright?!”

“What?!”

“Okay fine. Then you tell me if there’s any other way!”

You tried to unscramble your frenzied thoughts but even without searching, you knew he was right. There was no other way out. Your heart fell as you realized that you were going to be captured and killed. The helplessness of the situation weighed on you heavily and with death looking you in the eye, you collapsed to the floor.

Levi knelt down beside you. “Look, they aren’t going to kill us or else they would have done that earlier. We can survive this.”

“How?” you choked.

“The way we always have. We’re Renkers, (F/N).”

You searched his steel grey eyes, recognizing the same iron will that Erwin used to have. It had a strangely calming effect on you and your heart rate slowed as you came to terms with your fate. A grim smile etched across your lips, you nodded and got up.

Time seemed to slow down as you stood beside Levi with your hands held up high while the soldiers barged in. Looking down the barrel of the rifle in front of you, you knew the future ahead of you was far more perilous than anything you had faced before. But you weren’t alone. You were with a fellow Renker, one whose sharp eyes and resolve reminded you of someone so dear. 

And together, you would survive.


End file.
